LIUNA Minnesota and North Dakota’s Kevin Pranis, Marketing Manager, and Steve Cortina, Organizer in North Dakota, joined the America's Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the challenges facing local workers in the wind energy sector. They talked about the influx of out-of-state workers, their impact on local communities and strategies to combat these issues.
Pranis and Cortina highlighted the stark contrast between how Minnesota and North Dakota approach wind energy projects. While Minnesota has implemented strong worker protections and resident hiring requirements, North Dakota lacks legislative safeguards. This disparity has led to a significant influx of out-of-state workers, primarily from Texas, taking jobs that could benefit local communities. Cortina said that on some projects, less than 10 percent of the workforce is local, despite promises made during public hearings.
Next, Pranis and Cortina discussed the economic impact of this trend on North Dakota communities. Each wind project could potentially create 150-200 local jobs, translating to millions of dollars in lost economic revenue when these positions are filled by out-of-state workers. Pranis noted that this practice negatively impacts union members and undermines broader community support for clean energy initiatives, potentially "poisoning the well" for future projects.
To combat these challenges, LIUNA is working to educate project customers about the realities of workforce composition, citing examples where major institutions like Harvard University were unaware that their clean energy investments weren't benefiting local communities as promised. Additionally, according to Pranis and Cortina, there needs to be legislative protections in North Dakota similar to those in Minnesota. Meanwhile, LIUNA continues its grassroots organizing efforts to build support among workers and communities, they said.
Listen to the full episode to hear more about LIUNA's efforts to secure local jobs in the growing wind energy sector.
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